Dream And What It Means
by PatUdo
Summary: Years after leaving Lima for New York, Rachel Berry return to Lima, Ohio and run into Kurt Hummel. Or how Rachel realizes that Kurt might not leave for New York but it doesn't mean he won't leave Lima.


Disclaimer: Glee is not mine, seriously.

Title: Dream and what it means.

Summary: Years after leaving Lima for New York, Rachel Berry return to Lima, Ohio and run into Kurt Hummel. Or how Rachel realizes that Kurt might not leave for New York but it doesn't mean he won't leave Lima.

A/N: Basically, I'm a lurker. I never thought of writing anything because English is not my language. So, bear with me here. However, S3 finale of Glee left me in such a state that I have to write this.

Warning: Not Rachel friendly. I write this for Kurt but it's in Rachel's POV.

* * *

_...and let's not talk about the lead female. The voice is good. Ms. Berry is indeed a great singer, but..._

She couldn't help but to read it again. It's just some off-Broadway thing. But still, the words stung. She knew that she shouldn't be bothered by what some anonymous person wrote about her role in an off-Broadway musical, but it was still her biggest role so far.

Rachel knew, deep down, that it's going to be difficult, even with NYADA, to have the big break she needs to become the star that she's destined to be. Really, she knew she's talented, but there are also many other talented singer in New York. She just needs to try more, focus more, and her voice will carry her to her destiny. Right now though, she just needs some break after the...lukewarm reception of the show. Coming home to see her dads for a while is definitely a good idea. After that, she will return to New York. To singing. To destiny.

With her determination renewed, Rachel left her lunch table at a macrobiotic restaurant in Lima Mall (Oh, how time has changed, she thinks). It was then that she spotted a familiar face walks by, she rushed after him to make sure that she's right and not hallucinating.

"Kurt?" She called out and he turned around to face her.

"Rachel?" The look of surprise on Kurt's face was quite obvious, then he smiled and reached out for her.

"Rachel Berry? Oh my God!" Kurt hugged her hard, laughing. She hugged him as hard in return. It's been years since she saw him last, or anyone from McKinley for that matter. She realized, right now when Kurt was hugging her, that she missed her friends from Lima. She was so focused on lessons and auditions while she was in NYADA that she barely made any friends, and she now realized how sorely she misses having one.

"Wow. Look at you." Kurt said, releasing her from the hug and held her at arm length.

"Look here, you are taller than I remember" Kurt said. And she laughed.

"You too, Kurt. You look good yourself" She said.

Kurt smiled. "Of course, Rachel. I look fabulous." Kurt said with a smirk on his face which she was so familiar with.

"What are you doing here?" Kurt asked her. He then released her and they started walking to somewhere where they can sit down and talk.

"Oh, I've just finished my musical in New York and now visiting my dads." She answered. It was not a lie, really. That off-Broadway musical was just finished and she really is visiting her dads. So what if it sound bigger and more glamorous than what it really was.

"Really?" Kurt beamed. "Me too. Visiting, I mean. I just decided to take a little break from work and come down from Chicago to see my dad and Carole since Congress is not in session and they're back here."

Upon hearing that, Rachel was a little bit relieved. So Kurt got out of here after all. She would be lying if she said that she didn't feel bad for Kurt for not getting into NYADA. But the fact still is that she is more talented. Of course, she would get in. It didn't mean she thinks that Kurt's not talented. It's just that she's more talented. Still, she's glad that he's out of Lima. Chicago might not be New York, but it's not Lima. She really was glad to hear that Kurt had found his way.

By now they were entering a cafe, the best one in the Mall by the look at least. They ordered their drinks. Mint tea for her, it's good to keep her throat in good condition, and espresso for Kurt. They sat and looked at each other silently for a while.

"So, come on Rachel. Tell me about New York. I'm sure you're having a time of your life there." Kurt asked and then sipped his espresso. He looked at her expectantly. She couldn't sense anything in his voice, just curiosity. It seemed Kurt really wanted to know about her and New York.

"Oh, nothing much really." She answered. "You know, NYADA is really demanding. Then there're auditions. But gosh, New York is so fabulous. More when you're living there than visiting, really. But I want to know about you too. Tell me about Chicago. It must be good to live there too."

"I don't live in Chicago, Rachel" Kurt said simply, putting down his cup.

"Oh. O.K." She said, now curious. "But you said.."

"I said I'm working in Chicago. I didn't say I'm living there"

O.K. now she's really, really curious. Has Kurt been living in New York without telling her?

"I live in Vienna now"

"Vienna? As in Vienna, Austria?"

Kurt seemed to be amused by her question. she knew he must be, because he quirked one of his eyebrows before asking her back.

"Are there any other Vienna?"

She slumped a little bit in her chair. She's a little bit shocked, really.

"How? I mean, what happened?"

Kurt smiled at her. She looked at him more carefully now. Kurt really now is taller than she remembered. He looked clam, mature even.

"Oh, you know. When you left, I was a little depressed, I suppose." Kurt said. "I didn't have any back-up plan, stupid of me, of course. So I thought that if I couldn't go to college that I like this year, I will make the most out of it before I go next year. Then I decided that I will travel. I took most of my saving money out from my account, talked with dad, and the next thing I know I was at JFK airport waiting for my connection flight to London."

Kurt paused to sipped his water before started talking again. Now that she remembered it, she thought that she read somewhere that Viennese drink water after coffee.

"It was good Rachel. Europe is so beautiful. I went all over the continent, on a budget of course. London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Rome. You name it. But then I was in Munich. They were doing La Boheme that night, I still remember it. I've never seen a proper opera before so I thought; why not? I bought a ticket and went there and Boom! I was in love. I thought there will be no place in my heart other than Wicked, you know, but I found something that I equally love. From there I saw a lot more, Don Giovanni in Berlin, La Traviata in Venice, Madama Butterfly in Milan. It was in Paris though that it's really started. I bought ticket for this expensive seat because it was the only thing left. It was a new production of Carmen. During the intermission a man seated next to me asked me what I think about the opera. I gave him my opinion, then we talked more after the opera. Turn out he was the producer, Herr Klein he said."

Kurt smiled at that, as if remembering a good time.

"He was impressed by my opinion and the next thing I know I was working as his assistant for his new production of Tosca in Vienna. One thing led to another and before the year ended, I found myself signed a lease contract for a flat in Vienna and applied for a work visa."

She looked at Kurt in shocked. It seemed that Kurt really had quite an adventure while she was in New York. Then something dawned on her and before she could help it, she blurted out.

"Assistance? Kurt! You mean you don't sing anymore? You can't do that Kurt! Just because you didn't get into NYADA doesn't mean that you have to give up your dream!"

She thought she saw a flash of something dark in Kurt's eyes. However, it quickly disappeared before Kurt spoke up again.

"I didn't say I give up singing Rachel. I still sing a lot. It's just that I don't sing on stage these days. I sing with my friends at karaoke bar. I sing with them at parties. I sing for my guests if I'm a host for a party. I even learned how to sing countertenor for Baroque opera and how to play violin. Really, Rachel, my life is still filled with music. How could it not be? I live in Vienna, you know."

"But...but." She stammered. She couldn't understand. It was Kurt's dream, her dream, their dreams, to be Broadway star! They want to sing as Elphaba! They will take Broadway by storm. That's the dream! "But it's your dream to sing on Broadway Kurt. Remember, you want to sing Elphaba in Wicked! Defying Gravity, Kurt!"

She knew she was a little bit incoherent. But really, who could blame her? Here, in front of her, Kurt Hummel just said that he's not going to sing in Broadway?

"Yes that was my dream, Rachel." Kurt said, looking her straight in the eyes. "But I also found a new dream. I might not be the one who sing on the stage but I give meaning to singing, Rachel. I design the stage, the look, the feel, the theme. I design costumes. Costumes! Rachel. I interpret the music, the score. I can leave the staging in the period that it was first written, or I can update it to modern, or ultra-modern form even. The possibilities are endless, Rachel. I give life to the music. I make it happen. And I love it!"

Kurt finished, leaving her stunned. Kurt really sounded like he really like what he's doing.

"Are you." she asked, hesitantly. "Are you happy now, Kurt?" Rachel wanted to know, because she knew that she cannot be happy without singing. She really was destined to be musical star. Now, it seemed that that's not the case for Kurt.

"I am." Kurt answered, smiling at her. "I love what I'm doing Rachel. The costumes part help a lot too." They both laughed at that.

"And you said earlier that you're working in Chicago?" She asked, eager to change the subject. For some reason, she felt really uncomfortable about this new development. She didn't know why.

"Oh, Chicago Lyric Opera has commissioned me for their new production of Rigoletto. That's why I'm back in the States. It's almost ready now though so I will return to Vienna in a week. I will come again for the premier of course."

Kurt smiled at her. "But enough about me, Rachel. It's your turn. Give me detail about New York!"

* * *

Hours later, Rachel stumbled into her old bedroom after saying goodnight to her dads.

Kurt and she talked for a long time and only leave the cafe after promising each other to have lunch together the next day. It turned out that they were the only two that were in Lima at this time. Finn is now living in Portland, Oregon. Not in the military. She had sighed with relief with that bit of information.

They talked, or rather Kurt talked and answered her questions until the cafe closed. She didn't answered Kurt's question about her life in New York, and she made sure it stay that way. How could she talk about her lonely time at NYADA and more lonely time while she's not in it? About her tiny studio apartment that is probably too expensive for her? About the job she doesn't like but she has to do to pay the bills before she become Broadway star? About being understudy too many times to count? About numerous off-off-Broadway gigs?

She just couldn't.

Not after listening to Kurt answered her questions about Vienna.

"_It's beautiful, Rachel. My flat looks into this little square/park. The music culture is divine. The food scene is great. The men handsome."_ Kurt giggled into his strawberry blend drink thing after that particular phrase.

Not after Kurt told her about working in one great opera house after another.

"_La Fenice is stunning. When you go to Venice, Rachel, you must see it. Work there? Meh. I like Prague Estates Theatre too, but it's kind of small so Herr Klein and I and the team had to be quite innovative when we adapt his Paris production of The Magic Flute there."_

Not after Kurt told her about his big break.

"_I thought I was going to have a heart attack and then the crowd started clapping. They cheered me. It was my first time staging something without Herr Klein. I felt so great Rachel. Naples' Teatro di San Carlo will always have a special place in my heart."_

Not after Kurt told her about his Italian road trip with his friends last summer.

"_So we were driving to Lucca, and Christian suddenly had this idea of doing Tuscany vineyard by vineyard. It's then that Angela added 'or man by man' and I swear that Wilhelm choked on his soda and sprayed the backseat with his drink."_

Not after Kurt told her how he met his boyfriend while he was on ski vacation in Switzerland.

"_It's funny, really, since we both live in Vienna. He's a native Viennese even. But let me tell you, Conrad is tall, dark, and handsome. He's a big guy. And I mean he's big, everywhere."_ Kurt flushed bright red and giggled.

She simply just couldn't.

She looked at her computer, and suddenly she wants to know. She googled 'Kurt Hummel'. Most of the results were in either German or French. But nothing was beyond her determination and Google Translate.

"_One might be skeptical, knowing how young he is. Not to mention that it's his first time doing this on his own in such a prestigious venue. But a Mr. Kurt Hummel, late protege of the legendary Josef Klein, wowed the audience at the Vienna State Opera with his stunningly beautiful production of Lucia di Lammermoor, premiered last week. Sleek, timeless, and yet still retain the haunting feel of Donizetti's beloved tragic story of a young girl betrayed by her family. This production really shows Opera for what it truly is; a sublime art form. Mr. Hummel is indeed..." _

She closed the screen. she didn't want to read it anymore.

* * *

A/N: I was totally on the verge of tear when S3 ended, and not in a good way. As Kurt is my favorite character, I have to write this.

Why Vienna? Well I wrote this after I saw this: http:/ www. youtube .com / watch? v=pobLpzlXl9I

I want Kurt to be happy and if Rachel got to go to New York, I have Kurt go across the pond. But musical is not Europe's thing so I have to change what Kurt does a little bit. Seriously though, Kurt showed us with his "duet" back in Duets that he can stage something amazing. So, I think Kurt will be awesome whatever he wants to do anyway.

FYI, this is what Kurt saw in Munich in my story: http:/ www. youtube .com / watch? v=Td7Zb8c0xqo

I'm also thinking about writing a kind of sequel of this but with Kurt's POV, but I'm not sure so if you guys want to read it let me know in review.

Again, English is not my language, I tried my best but if someone want to beta this, let me know.


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